Honey Pumpkin Pie

In prep for the upcoming American Thanksgiving, we are sharing, a PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE!!! Perfect for the occasion, eh?

This is a slightly unique pumpkin pie - it's sweetened with honey instead of sugar which adds a great taste and provides a healthy dessert choice. It has a delicious crust that makes it light and flaky. Are you ready to try it?

Yeah...I knew you would be. :)

My family has used this recipe for years, so you could call it a family favorite! We always set aside a day (or two ) in fall to make about 20-30 some pies. The crust recipe is meant for bulk as it makes about 10 pie shells; although the filling is only meant for one; which means you have to do a few batches unless you want to cut down the pie shell recipe, but the filling is the easy part. All you have to do is put everything in a blender and pulse. It's preparing the pumpkin and making the crust that'll take some more time, but I think having all those pies in the freezer to bring out and enjoy on a freezing cold evening will make it all worth it!

You might like to cut up the pumpkin a day or two ahead, so that you're not doing everything on one day! (especially if you're using the stove top method (see below) but that part is totally up to you. :)

Honey Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Preparation Instructions:

Stove Top Method

Wash the outside of the pumpkin under running water. Dry with towel. Cut open and cut into sections as you would a cantaloupe. Cut off outer rind and trim inner edge to remove stringy stuff and seeds. Put about 2 centimeters of water in your pot. Cook pumpkin until soft over medium heat. Drain water.

Oven Method

Cut pumpkin in half with a large knife. Remove the seeds and as much of the stringy stuff as you can. Place pumpkin halves cut side down in a roasting pan with about a centimeter of water. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F. until pumpkin is soft when you touch it. Cool, then scoop out pulp. Discard the water. Baking time depends on how many you do at a time, usually at least an hour, but keep a close eye on it when it's starting to get around that time to make sure it doesn't get over-cooked.

For The Filling
Yields: 1 pie filling

(We make 5 batches and double each batch in order to have 10 pies afterward; since that is how many pie shells the crust makes)

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 1/2 cups prepared pumpkin (see instructions above) -- Use partly normal pumpkin and partly pie pumpkins for best results or a simple way would be using canned pumpkin instead.
3/4 cup hot milk (using half milk and half soy milk works as well)
3 tbsp. flour
Vanilla to taste

Filling Directions

Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until well incorporated. Test the filling to make sure there is enough spices added according to what you like. If not, feel free to add more! Pour into pie shells.

NOTE: Do not pour filling into pie shell (see recipe below) unless you are ready to put it immediately into the oven. Otherwise it'll sit in the shell and the crust will get all soggy.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 20-25 minutes or until filling is firm.

For The Crust
Yields: 10 (9 inch) pie shells

Ingredients

5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1b. shortening
1 egg
3 Tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice
Cold water

Pie Crust Directions

Sift together and combine with fork flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. Cut in shortening and blend well. Beat together egg, vinegar or lemon juice and enough cold water to fill 1 cup measuring cup. Add all at once to four mixture. Work until mixture comes away from bowl.
Use more flour to roll out the crust if it's quite sticky. Add only a little at a time -- just enough to be fairly workable. Be careful not to handle dough too much, otherwise it'll get tough.

PRINTABLE VERSION

NOTE: Do not mix the batter in a blender, or else you'll have the same mess to clean up as my sister did!! :)